EcoLur
“It’s necessary to install automated online water-measuring systems in water intake and environmental flow sections of operating SHPPs at the expense of private investments, international funding organizations and other means not prohibited by law.”, as the executive approved “Concept of Hydropower Development in Republic of Armenia” on 29 December 2016.
The Minister for Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources shall submit a list of measures ensuring the enforcement of the concept within 6 months.
Reminder: the concept of water-meters was developed in the frames of “Support to SHPP-relating reforms through the dialogue of public and RA Nature Protection Ministry for Sustainable Use of River Ecosystems” project implemented by EcoLur in partnership with RA Nature Protection Ministry with the support of UNDP-GEF and it was included in SHPP rehabilitation programme.
Another proposal of the project referred to the modernization of SHPP equipment.
The concept paper says that there are no national standards and technical requirements for the equipment installed in SHPPs in Armenia. Most SHPPs install non-certified and significantly cheaper equipment, which leads to ineffective use of hydropower resources. The technical requirements posed to equipment installed in SHPP are currently located in regulation field of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU). In 2015 the Economic Committee of the EEU was offered to develop technical requirements for the equipment installed in newly constructed, reconstructed and re-equipped SHPPs with the adoption of international standards. As of 1 July 2016, 173 SHPPs produced electricity, the aggregate capacity of which made up around 312 MW, while average annual useful delivery of estimated electricity makes up 830 million kph.
The material was developed in the frames of “Supporting new reforms in SHPP sector through CSO-government dialogue” supported by UNDP/GEF Small Grants Programme".
January 09, 2017 at 16:39